Shadow's Coffee, and other Drabbles
by The All Real Numbers Symbol
Summary: A collection of Sonic the Hedgehog drabbles. As Amy pounced on him for the twentieth time that month, Shadow could only come to one conclusion: Amy really needed glasses. Drabble 19... Color Blind
1. Shadow's Coffee

**Shadow's Coffee**

**A Drabble**

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**T.A.R.N.S.: **Yes, I do have other things I need to be doing, and I do plan to work on those other things, also. But I'd like to post some of this up first.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Sonic or Sega, we'd remake the Shadow the Hedgehog game. I do own Zelda Robotnic, and her bio is in my profile.

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Sonic walked into the kitchen of Tail's workroom and poured himself a cup of coffee. Zelda looked up from what she was writing. "You don't want to drink that." Zelda warned him.

"Why not?" Sonic asked as he took a sip of coffee. Suddenly his eyes widened, and he raced to the sink and spit the coffee out. "I was trying to tell you," Zelda pointed at Sonic with her pen. "Shadow made that pot of coffee." "I can tell." Sonic said.

Just then Shadow walked into the room. "What's wrong with the coffee I make?" Shadow asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee and took a sip.

"Well, it can singe your taste buds, melt brake linings, small robotics, and Chaos Emeralds," Sonic paused, picked up a spoon, and plunked it into Shadow's cup of coffee. He pulled it out a moment later, and they could see that the spoon head had become a piece of thin twisted metal. "And it eats spoons." Sonic finished.

"Fine," Shadow said as Sonic got a glass of juice and Zelda returned to her writing. "Drink what you want, but I'm drinking my coffee." "Fine by us." Zelda told Shadow.

At that moment, Tails came in from his early morning work on the X-Tornado. "Good morning," He told everyone as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Tails," Sonic started. "Don't drink that coffee…"

**End**

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**T.A.R.N.S.:** Well, there you go.

**Nyoshi:** feel free to drop us a review and tell us what you thought.

**T.A.R.N.S.:** It would be appreciated.


	2. Sonic's Bath

**Sonic's Bath**

**Drabble #2**

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**T.A.R.N.S.:** Well, here it is. My second drabble.

**Nyoshi:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first drabble.

**Random Disclaimer:** I own nothing besides the plot and the book series The Idiot's Guide To…

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"Sonic, get in the tub," Knuckles ordered.

"No," Sonic replied. "I'm not getting in."

Currently, Sonic had his hands and feet braced on the rim of Tails' bathtub, as Knuckles tried to force him into it.

"C'mon Sonic," Knuckles pushed on Sonic's back, trying to get him off the rim and into the tub. "Get in there."

"No," Sonic insisted. "I'll drown."

"First of all, Sonic, I am an expert swimmer, and I won't let you drown." Knuckles said. "Second, there's only an inch an a half of water in the tub, making your chances of drowning very small. Now, GET IN THE TUB!"

"Never!" Sonic defied. "C'mon Sonic," Knuckles said as he tried to push Sonic into the tub. "Shadow will clean himself up via a bath at least once a month, but it's a pain to make you take a bath at least once a year! Twice a year at the most."

"I'm not getting in." Sonic retorted defiantly.

Knuckles rolled his eyes, and then yelled, "Tails!" There was the sound of something being moved from in front of the door, and Tails came in. "Help me get Sonic into the bathtub." Knuckles told him.

About two and a half minutes later, Tails and Knuckles got Sonic into the tub. Knuckles held the kicking and screaming hedgehog down while Tails quickly added more water, then soaped up the hedgehog and rinsed him off as quickly as possible.

Outside the bathroom, Shadow was sitting on the couch that he and Tails had moved to in front of the bathroom door to prevent Sonic from escaping. Shadow looked up from the book _The Idiot's Guide to Giving Baths to Blue Hedgehogs That Hate Water_ that he was leafing through when he heard the bloodcurdling scream. "Sounds like they finally got Sonic in the tub." He said as he went back to his book.

Some five minutes later it was over. Sonic's bath was complete. (And you can be assured that Tails and Knuckles were relieved.) Sonic had somehow managed to get water all over the towels, floor, wall, and Tails and Knuckles. Knuckles let Sonic up, and Sonic quickly jumped out of the tub. He shook himself of, then spindashed through the top of the door (the bottom was blocked by the couch), and raced outside and up a tree, where he could safely sleep until he was dry.

Shadow pushed the top half of what had formerly been Tail's bathroom door of his head, and moved the couch out of the way. Tails and Knuckles came out of the bathroom, dripping wet. Tails sighed. "There's a reason we give Sonic a bath only twice a year."

**End**

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**T.A.R.N.S.: **I'm sure Sonic takes a bath more than twice a year, but not in this drabble.

**Nyoshi:** Please review and tell us how we did.

**T.A.R.N.S.:** And we'll see you next time.


	3. Maria's Rose

**Maria's Rose**

**Drabble #3**

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**T.A.R.N.S.: **Yeah! New drabble!

Thank you's to Taranea, Randomaximus, and TwilightPrincess012 for reviewing the last drabble. Be forewarned; this isn't a humor drabble, this is a drama drabble. This was not intended to be ShadAmy, but if that's how you want to take it, that's fine with me.

**Random disclaimer: **Have you ever noticed that Tails names all his planes and ships after storms? There's the Cyclone, the X-tornado, and the Blue Typhoon.

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"Hi Shadow." Amy said as she came up the steps to Tails' workshop. Shadow stood on the porch and didn't say anything.

"Is something wrong?" Amy asked.

"Yes," Shadow replied, and then he walked away.

Amy hurried inside and found Tails, who was working on the X-Tornado. "Tails, what's wrong with Shadow?" Amy asked.

Tails, with his head still inside the X-Tornado, answered, "I think he's missing Maria. Would you hand me that wrench?"

Amy handed Tails the wrench, then said, "But I thought Shadow was done with his past."

"He is," Tails replied. "But every once in a while he starts to miss Maria, and it just kinda makes him feel down in the dumps, you know?"

After that, things were quiet. Tails kept working on the X-Tornado, and Amy flipped through a flyer from Drywall-Mart.

Suddenly, Amy jumped up. "I gotta get going. See you later, Tails."

"Bye." Tails replied.

Amy hurried out the door, and headed in the direction of Station Square.

**XXXXXX**

Shadow was out in the woods when Amy found him. "Shadow," She started. "I heard you were feeling sad about Maria, so I got you this "She held out an orange-colored rose.

"A rose?" Shadow looked at her as he took it.

"It's actually called a Maria rose. I thought you might want to plant it in honor of Maria." Amy showed the plant to Shadow.

Shadow smiled. "Where are we going to plant it?" he asked.

"Well," Amy started. "I thought Tails might give us some space in his yard."

Shadow picked up the rose plant, and the two of them headed for Tails' house.

**End**

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**T.A.R.N.S.: **For those of you that are wondering,there really is a 'Maria Rose.' It's actually called the 'Maria Stern' rose, and I've seen it in some flower catalogues. Anyway, what'd you think?

**Nyoshi:** Please review and tell us how we did. It would be appreciated.

**T.A.R.N.S.:** We'll see you next time.


	4. July 4th

**July 4****th**

**Drabble # 4**

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**T.A.R.N.S: **Hi everybody. Let's see how Sonic and the gang are celebrating this July 4th.

**Disclaimer:** Sonic and all related characters belong to Sega.

**Claimer:** Zelda Robotnic and the plot belong to The All Real Numbers Symbol.

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"So tell me again what are we doing here?" Shadow asked. Sonic looked down from the chair he had placed on the wing of the X-Tornado and grinned.

"We are tailgating." Sonic replied.

"Isn't that usually done with a pickup truck?" Shadow asked. "Yes." Sonic told him. "But we don't have a pickup truck, so we're using the X-Tornado."

Shadow rolled his eyes.

The whole gang had headed out to the Station Square Park to have some Fourth of July fun, to have a cookout and watch the fire- works.

A few feet away, on the ground, Tails was cooking burgers on the small charcoal grill that they had brought. He flipped the burgers, but none of them landed on the grill. Three burgers landed on the ground (which the ants, birds, and squirrels promptly stole), and the fourth one landed on Knuckles' head.

"OW!" Knuckles shouted. He pulled the burger off his head and stormed over to the grill. "Move over, Tails." Knuckles said. "I'm cooking the burgers."

"So what am I supposed to do?" Tails asked.

"Start setting up the chips, dips, snack foods, cups, plates, and drinks." Knuckles replied.

Amy was using the jet on the X-Tornado to cook hotdogs. She stuck on a stick into the flame, and then quickly pulled them out. "Perfect." Amy set the cooked hot dogs on a platter and stuck some more on her stick.

Zelda flew down a few moments later, and added hotdog and hamburger buns to the snack table. "Hi guys." She said. "Are we ready to eat?"

"Yep." Knuckles replied. "The burgers are ready."

Amy scurried over with the plate of hotdogs. "The hotdogs are ready, too." She said.

"Oh boy, food's ready." Sonic jumped down to the ground and raced to the food table. Shadow followed at a slower pace.

Sonic put three hotdogs on buns, then reached into hammerspace and pulled out a vat of chili and added it to the hotdogs. "Perfect." He picked up the plate and raced back to his seat.

Shadow selected his food and sat down in the grass. A moment later he heard Amy call, "Can somebody help me move this?" Shadow stood up and went to help Amy. The minute his back was turned though, the birds, squirrels, and ants promptly stole everything off his plate.

When Shadow came back a minute later, he saw his plate was empty. "I thought I had food on this plate." He said.

Sonic grinned and pointed at Shadow with his chilidog. "You gotta watch the critters in this park." He said.

Just then a bird swooped down and stole Sonic's chilidog. "My chilidog!" Sonic exclaimed. Shadow smirked.

As they ate, Shadow noticed a squirrel eyeballing his food and he shot a Chaos Spear at it. The squirrel ran away from the Chaos Spear and avoided being hit, but the Chaos Spear kept traveling and lit a few fireworks.

They next thing they knew, various other people in the park were being chased by fireworks. After the danger passed, the other people in the park gave them dirty looks. "Oh c'mon." Shadow muttered. "If I was trying to kill them, I wouldn't have missed."

"Um, perhaps it's time to leave." Sonic suggested.

So they group packed their stuff up and left for Tails' workshop in the Mystic Ruins.

"What are we gonna do now?" Amy asked after they arrived. "I got an idea." Sonic said, and he raced away to Drywall-Mart.

**XXXXXX**

Sonic reappeared a few minutes later with a bunch of fireworks. "Let's have our own fireworks show." He suggested.

So Sonic and Knuckles set up the fire works, and they watched their own show.

"Who says we can't put on our own fireworks show." Zelda smiled. "Happy Fourth of July, everyone."

**Fin**

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**T.A.R.N.S.: **And there you have it.

**Nyoshi:** Please review and tell us what you thought of it.

Happy Fourth of July from Nyoshi & The All Real Numbers Symbol


	5. Sonic's Coffee

**Sonic's Coffee**

**Drabble #5**

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**T.A.R.N.S.:** We've seen how Shadow likes his coffee; now let's see how Sonic does coffee. I did try to make this one different from Shadow's Coffee.

**Nyoshi:** Dedicated to sonickles, Randomaximus, Black and Crimson, and Shadow-is-awesome12.

**Other:** _**Carafe**_: is usually used to hold coffee, though I'm sure it's used for other drinks, too.

**Random Disclaimer:** It's a short story, but that's what drabbles are.

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Shadow stormed into Tail's house, angry at the world. (What else was new?)

At least he had made a fresh pot of coffee before he'd left. Since he hadn't been gone all that long, the coffee he'd put in the carafe should still be warm.

Shadow headed upstairs to the kitchen. He got out a coffee mug, grabbed the carafe and poured himself a cup of coffee. He took a sip, swallowed and nearly choked.

"FAKER!!" Shadow shouted. Sonic calmly came into the kitchen, holding a chilidog in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

"What did you do to my coffee?" Shadow demanded. "I threw it out." Sonic replied.

"You poured my coffee down the sink?" Shadow asked incredously.

"No." Sonic told him. "That would have melted the plumbing. I threw it out the back door."

"You threw my coffee out the back door?" Shadow asked. "Yep." Sonic confirmed. "And then I made a new pot."

"Well in that case, what did you put in this coffee?" Shadow wanted to know.

"I made the coffee, and then I put in some milk, sugar, some chocolate, some other stuff too." Sonic told him.

Shadow just stared at him. "You ruined that coffee. Coffee does not need all that extra junk in it."

"Hey, I like my coffee with 'all that extra junk.' Sonic said.

**XXXXXX**

On the other side of the kitchen wall was Tails' living room. Sitting in the room were Silver and Tails, listening in on the discussion in the kitchen.

"I thought you said Sonic and Shadow were on good terms with each other." Silver said.

"They are." Tails replied. "They just can't see eye to eye when it come to coffee. Sonic likes his kind of like a Mocha (1), and Shadow like his very strong. Sometimes they'll respect each other's coffee opinions, though."

Silver and Tails heard something glass break in the kitchen. Silver looked at Tails. "Must not be one of those times, eh?"

**End**

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**T.A.R.N.S.: **I hope that wasn't too bad.

**(1):** In America we call it a Mocha. It might be called a 'Mochacino' or 'moccaccino' in other countries. It's like a cappuccino or a latté that has chocolate syrup in it.

Special thanks to Wikipedia and Namastecafe for coffee info for this chapter.

**Nyoshi:** Please review and tell us what you thought.


	6. Ice Cream

**Ice Cream**

**Drabble # 6**

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**T.A.R.N.S.: **Yea! A new drabble.

**Random disclaimer:** Contrary to popular opinion, you don't need bad language, graphic violence, death, or an R rating to have a good story. However, a plot usually helpful.

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It was a hot evening as the gang sat on Tails' back porch. "Man, it's not as hot as it was, but it's still pretty hot." Sonic said. "Thanks for pointing out the obvious." Shadow told him.

"I got an idea," Tails spoke up. "Why don't we get some ice cream?" "Sounds great, little bro." Sonic said.

"What's ice cream?" Silver asked Shadow. "A frozen confection usually, made from milk, and combined with other ingredients to sweeten and flavor it." Shadow replied.

Silver was now more confused than he'd been five minutes ago.

"Hang on Silver, we'll show you what it is," Tails said. "C'mon, we can use the X-Tornado to get to Station Square, and get some ice cream"

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And that was just what they did. "We can bet some good ice cream here." Sonic said as they landed in front Dairy King. The four of them entered Dairy King and suddenly heard a cry of,"Sonic!"

There was the sound of glass breaking in the background as Sonic cringed. "Amy? What are you doing here?"

Amy was behind the counter. "I took a summer job here." Amy replied. "So what would you like? We have ice cream, of course, and in the refrigerator/coolers things over there we have some frozen treats."

"We'll look at our options and then decide." Tails told her.

Shadow and Sonic had gone over to the cooler thing to look at the frozen treats. Shadow was looking at the ingredient list for a low-carb popsicle. "Hmm," Shadow mused. "It's has aspartame in it."

"Is that terminal?" Sonic asked. Shadow gave him an exasperated look. "It means it's made with an artificial sweetener."

"Oh." Was Sonic's only reply.

Silver and Tails were looking at the different flavors of ice cream. "Try the strawberry." Tails told Silver. "It's pretty good." As they we're discussing the different flavors, though, Big the Cat came walking in.

"We can get some ice cream here, Froggy." Big told his amphibian friend.

Silver saw Big, and promptly panicked. "Monster!" He used his telekinesis to grab two tables and throw them at Big, knocking him back out the door.

"Umm…Silver…that wasn't a monster." Tails told him. "Oops." Silver smiled sheepishly.

Amy Rose was not amused. "Are you going to buy some ice cream or destroy the building?"

Finally, though, they did get some ice cream. Tails chose an ice cream bar, Shadow got the low-carb popsicle, Silver got a strawberry cone, and Sonic got a four-scoop ice cream cone. The first scoop (on the bottom) was vanilla. The second scoop was chocolate. The third was strawberry, and the fourth scoop was lemon.

"Okay." Shadow eye Sonic's ice cream. "That makes no sense."

"It's actually pretty good." Sonic said as he licked his ice cream cone. Then he held it out to Shadow. "Wanna taste?"

Shadow stepped back. "No thanks."

"This stuff is pretty good." Silver decided. "Yep." Sonic agreed. "A nice way to end the day."

**End**

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**T.A.R.N.S.: **The ending may have been a little off-kilter, but I'll let you people decide that.

**Nyoshi:** Please review and tell us what you thought.

**L8R**


	7. Silver's Coffee

**Silver's Coffee**

**Drabble # 7**

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**Random Disclaimer:** With all the coffee that's been used in this story, it's a wonder we don't all have a caffeine buzz.

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Sonic and Shadow both had opinions on how they liked their coffee, and Silver figured it was time he got in on this whole 'coffee' thing, too.

But first, he had a question that needed answering: What is coffee?

Since Tails was smart, Silver figured that he would be a good place to start.

"Tails, what is coffee?" Silver asked. "Coffee is a drink made from the roasted seeds or beans of the coffee plant." Tails replied. "Since coffee contains caffeine, most people drink it as stimulant, to wake them up or keep them awake."

Silver headed over to the kitchen cupboard and took out a can of coffee grounds. He took off the lid and looked at the grounds; tilting the can up see he could see the grounds.

Unfortunately for Silver, though, gravity still works.

"AHH!! I GOT COFFEE GROUNDS IN MY EYES!!"

Shadow, who had been passing by Tails' house for what is currently no particular reason, heard Silver scream, and made a mental note to see a psychiatrist. By now he was sure some of his friends were insane, and he didn't need their insanity rubbing off on him.

After Silver had come back from the Emergency room, he asked Tails if he could try making some coffee.

"Okay," Tails agreed. "Just don't burn the house down. I'll be in my workshop if you need me."

So Silver set to work making a half a pot of coffee. By the time he got done, it was lunch time, and Tails, along with Sonic and Knuckles (who had dropped in) were getting ready to eat.

"So who wants to try my coffee?" Silver asked.

"I will." Sonic grabbed the cup and took a sip; then promptly collapsed and started to twitch.

"Congratulations Silver. You've killed the Iblis Trigger." Knuckles snickered.

"I didn't kill him." Silver replied. "He's still twitching."

Sonic recovered a few minutes later. "Whatever that stuff is, burn it." Was his only suggestion.

Silver threw out the first pot of coffee and set to work making a second one.

**XXXXXX**

Later that afternoon, Shadow came by to pick up the Chaos Emerald he'd loaned to Tails. While Tails went and got the Emerald, Silver decided to see if he could get Shadow to try the coffee he'd made.

Shadow was sitting on the couch in the living room when Silver stepped into the room.

"You look thirsty, Shadow." Silver told him.

"I'm not thirsty." Shadow told him.

"Would you like to try my coffee?" Silver asked.

"Isn't that the stuff that nearly killed Sonic?" Shadow inquired.

"Uh…no, this is a different pot."

Shadow shrugged, and then took a sip of the coffee, only to find that he couldn't. He tried taking a sip again, but the results were the same. Shadow turned the cup upside down and tried shaking it. Nothing happened.

"Your coffee has solidified." Shadow informed him as he handed the mug back to Silver.

Shadow stood up and walked out of the room and to the door, swiping his Emerald out of Tails' hand as he went.

"Well, there goes my second pot." Silver said as he looked at the coffee Shadow had handed back to him.

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Later that evening, Silver was outside, staring off into the sky and trying to figure where he'd gone wrong while making coffee.

As he was contemplating this, he noticed Tails go walking by. This wasn't unusual, except that Tails was carrying a pickaxe.

"Tails, what are you doing with the pickaxe?" Silver wondered.

"Well, you know that second pot of coffee you made? I was able to get the coffee that was still in the pot out, but the cup you poured for Shadow kind of solidified. Now I can't get the coffee out of the cup. I tried microwaving it, but that didn't work. Shadow offered to Chaos Spear it, but that would destroy the coffee and the mug, so I'm gonna try using this pickaxe." Tails explained.

"Oh." Silver looked a little crestfallen.

"Don't worry about it." Tails told him. "Sonic destroyed half the kitchen when he was learning to make coffee. If the worst I lose is a mug…well…you'll still be doing better than Sonic."

"Thanks…I think." Silver wasn't sure what to take that as. Suddenly something clicked in his mind. "That's it! I'll see if someone can teach me to make coffee."

"I'd recommend not asking Sonic or Shadow for help there." Tails said. "Whenever Sonic makes coffee, people with stock in the sugar market get rich, and the coffee Shadow makes is strong enough to not over a tank."

"You're exaggerating." Silver replied.

"Yes I am." Tails said matter-of-factly. "Well, I'm off to go chip coffee out of a mug. See ya!" With that, Tails, still carrying the pickaxe, headed into the house.

Silver stood outside for a moment. "Now who can I get to teach me how to make coffee?" he wondered.

Amy! Maybe she could teach him how to make coffee. Silver picked himself up telekinetically and flew towards Amy's house.

**XXXXXX**

At 6 p.m., Amy was rather surprised to find Silver knocking on her door.

"Silver?" Amy asked. "What's wrong?"

"Can you teach me how to make coffee?" Silver asked.

Well…yes…but…why are you trying to learn how to make coffee?" Amy inquired.

"Because…I don't know. I just want to learn, okay?" Silver replied.

After thinking it over a moment, Amy shrugged and let Silver in.

She led the way to the kitchen. "Okay, this is really simple. Take the pot and fill it with water. When you're done, pour the water in here." Amy showed him where the water should go.

After Silver had done that per Amy's instructions, she showed him where to put the coffee filter and grounds, and then she hit the start button. "Now we wait for the coffee to get done."

Amy went to her room, and Silver hung around the kitchen for a few minutes until the coffee was done. At the sound of the coffee maker's ding, Amy came back. "And that's all there is to it." Amy said. "Here, I'll put it in a thermos so you take it with you."

Amy quickly put the coffee in a thermos and handed the thermos to Silver.

"Thanks Amy." Silver said as he looked at the thermos. "And thanks for teaching me how to make coffee."

Silver left Amy's house and headed for the Mystic Ruins.

**XXXXXX**

Later that night, Tails was awakened by the sound of something bouncing off the walls, literally.

That something turned out to be Silver.

"Silver?" Tails was confused. "What are you doing? Besides bouncing off the walls."

"COFFEE! Man I shouldhavefoundthisstuffyearsago. I'dhavebeenabletobeatiblisnosweatifI'dhaveknownaboutcoffee inthefuturehaveyoutriedthisstuffyougottatrythiscoffeeit'sreallygood." Silver replied.

(Translation: Coffee! Man, I should have found this stuff years ago! I'd have been able to beat Iblis no sweat if I'd known about coffee while I was in the future. Have you tried this stuff? You gotta try this coffee, it's really good.)

Tails rubbed his eyes. "Oh, I get it now. You've got a caffeine buzz. Well," Tails walked to the front door and opened it. "I'm trying to sleep. Go bounce off things outside."

"Wee!" Silver bounced out the door.

Tails closed it behind him. "Now maybe I get some sleep. I'm sure Silver will be back after the coffee buzz wears off. "

And with that, Tails went back to bed.

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**T.A.R.N.S:** And there you have it. I hope you all liked it. XD

**Nyoshi:** Please review and tell us what you thought!


	8. Haunted House

**Haunted House**

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**Nyoshi**: #wearing a long cape and false vampire teeth# It is time…for The All Real Numbers Symbol's Halloween drabble. This is more suspense and horror then humor…so be prepared.

**Disclaimer: **This is Halloween, this is Halloween….

**Claimer: **Mike, Zelda, Nyoshi, the Inter-Galactic Association of Superheroes, and anything else not Sega belongs to The All Real Numbers Symbol. Bios for all OC's except Mike are in T.A.R.N.S.' profile.

Dedicated to Dragon Girl for her help with the plot.

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The design for the Inter-Galactic Association of Superheroes building allowed for several floors to have apartments on them. If you worked for I.G.A.S you could have the option to have one of these apartments. You wouldn't even have to leave the building because you lived could live a few floors above the floor where you worked.

However, the thirty-fourth floor of the building is haunted by a ghost simply known as Mike. Usually he stays on the thirty-fourth floor, but during October he roams free, causing mayhem for the new superheroes. Not the older ones. They're used to Mike.

It was 7:30 in the evening, and Zelda was sitting at her desk, writing in her notebook, when the computer monitor on her desk started to levitate. She used one hand to push the monitor back to the desk. "Is it October already?" she asked no one in particular.

Shadow was reading at his desk when the desk- and the chair he was sitting in, started to levitate.

Shadow was not phased.

"Put me down, Mike." He ordered.

The desk hit the floor with a _thud!_ and Mike appeared across the desk.

He was a typical ghost, white, no real form except the 'ghost' form, black eyes and inside of mouth, and a prankster look on his face.

Shadow was still not phased. "Get back to the thirty-fourth floor, Mike."

"I don't have to." Mike replied. "It's October, so I can do what I want."

Before Shadow could reply, Sonic came in. "Hey, Zelda, Shads, you wanna go visit a real Haunted…YIKES! What is that?" Sonic had just noticed Mike.

"That's just Mike. He haunts the thirty-fourth floor of the building." Zelda explained. "During October, though, he roams the building."

"Well, I just heard some claim of a haunted house, you know, spooky noise, malevolent spirits, the whole nine yards, and I was wondering if you wanted to help me check out this claim." Sonic asked.

"I don't have time to waste going through some stupid haunted house." Shadow calmly informed Sonic.

"I do!" Zelda exclaimed. She picked a calendar up off her desk. "It's October 31, Halloween, so all the monsters will be out."

"Oh brother." Shadow rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll go. But I'm sure there is some logical explanation for what everyone is claiming to see and hear."

"And there's a ghost floating by your desk." Sonic pointed out.

Just then Nyoshi came by. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"Shadow, Tails, Knuckles, Me, and Zelda are going to investigate a haunted house." Sonic explained.

"You wanna come?" Shadow asked.

"Sure." Nyoshi cheerfully assented. "It'll be fun to get the spit scared out of us."

"Then let's go!" Sonic said as he raced for the door.

"We'll see you later, Mike." Zelda said as they headed for the door.

Mike watched them leave, and then went to go find some newbie to the job that he could pick on.

**XXXXXX**

After stopping to pick up Tails and Knuckles, the group continued to the forest that surrounded the haunted house.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Shadow muttered as he pushed through the trees in the forest around the haunted house.

"I can!" Zelda cheerfully said.

"Yes, but you're also the girl who tried to test the stories of vampire watermelons. I expect this from you." Shadow told her.

Suddenly Sonic stopped. "There it is." He said.

It was a dilapidated old building, creaking shutters, broken windows, and turrets were just a few of the things the building offered.

As the group looked at the house, there was a flash of lightning behind it. "Well, that's about right for a haunted house." Knuckles noted.

"Let's go inside." Sonic said.

Tails, though, had no desire to go into a haunted house. "You guys go ahead. I'll wait out here."

"Suit yourself." Sonic said as the rest of the group headed for the house.

Just then lightning flashed again. "Wait up guys!" Tails raced to catch up with the others. "On second thought, I'll go with you." He panted.

Nyoshi pushed on the door, and it creaked open. He walked inside, and immediately started to cough. The others followed him in.

"There's like an inch of dust on everything." Nyoshi said between coughs.

"Let's split up and see what we can find." Sonic said. He raced away to explore the upstairs.

"Famous last words." Knuckles muttered as he walked away.

And with that, the group separated.

**XXXXXX**

Sonic was looking through a bedroom on the upper level when he saw something. It was a ghoul. Sonic quickly ducked into a nearby closet as the ghoul floated past.

After it floated by, Sonic stuck his head out of the closet. "Man, Zelda oughta see this. She likes these sorts of monsters."

Sonic stepped out of the closet, and closed the door. "I should go find the others and tell them what I saw."

As Sonic turned to leave, though, a pair of skeleton hands reached out, grabbed him, and dragged him back into the closet.

**XXX**

Shadow was exploring the dimly lit basement. As he walked through the basement though, he had the strange feeling he was being stalked.

"Tails, why are you following me?" Shadow asked.

Tails, who was indeed behind Shadow, said, "I'm just…watching your back."

"Uh-huh." The tone of Shadow's voice indicated that he did not believe it.

Shadow did a quick walk-through of the basement. "There is nothing here. I can't wait to tell Sonic he's delusional."

"Does that make Zelda delusional?" Tails asked.

"She acts like that every Halloween. I don't understand why she likes this holiday so much." Shadow said as he headed for the stairs. As he did, though, a pair of hands reached out from behind a support post and swiped Tails.

"I'm going to find the others and tell them what I didn't see." Shadow turned and started to walk away. The pair of hands reached out from behind the post and tried to grab him, but they were to slow.

Shadow didn't notice Tails wasn't behind him as he walked away.

**XXX**

Zelda and Nyoshi had stayed on the main floor. As Zelda pushed the door to the library open, she said, "I hope we find a walking skeleton!"

Nyoshi came into the room and let out a huge sneeze, raising a cloud of dust off everything, which settled back to the floor a moment later. He sniffed, and then said, "I hope whoever owns this place hires a cleaner."

"C'mon Nyoshi," Zelda said as she walked around the room. "What's the fun of a _clean _haunted house?"

Just then, she spotted something and pulled Nyoshi behind one of the velvet curtains hanging by a long window. A moment later, a walking skeleton went by. Zelda peeked out from behind the curtain. "Sweet! It _is_ a walking skeleton!" she whispered to Nyoshi.

Just then Nyoshi sneezed.

The skeleton turned and saw that they were behind the curtain.

Zelda sweatdropped. "Oh boy."

And with that, both Zelda and Nyoshi took off running, with the skeleton in hot pursuit.

**XXX**

Knuckles was walking through another bedroom when he heard a werewolf howl. Through the window of the bedroom he could see the werewolf howling at the full moon. An owl sat on a nearby tree limb, hooting, and a group of bats was taking flight.

And he might have been mistaken, but he saw what looked like a silhouette of a witch flying across the moon.

Having lived on Angel Island his whole life, though, Knuckles had no idea that he should have been scared silly by the sights he'd just seen; so he shrugged it off and kept walking.

All the furniture was covered with sheets, like most of the furniture in the house. A quick glance around assured him that there was nothing in the room, unless it was hiding under the sheeted furniture, but Knuckles had no intention of looking there. He wasn't all that anxious to find a monster.

But there was still one place left to look. The closet.

Being the bold Echidna that he was, Knuckles walked to the door of the closet and threw it open.

There was nothing inside.

Immensely relieved, although he didn't know why, Knuckles left the room he was in and walked down the hall to a different one.

He opened the door, and two green tentacles grabbed him and dragged him into the room, closing the door behind them.

**XXX**

Zelda and Nyoshi ran out of the library and into the living room before they lost the skeleton.

"Sweet!" Zelda said as she gasped for breath. "I got chased by a real walking skeleton!"

Nyoshi just rolled his eyes.

The living room was a large room, complete with sheet-covered furniture and a fireplace. As Nyoshi turned around to see if the skeleton had found them though, a section of wall opened up and Zelda was dragged inside. The thing that grabbed her put a hand across her mouth so she couldn't scream, then the section of wall slid closed.

Nyoshi turned around, and saw that Zelda was gone, so did the first thing that came to his head.

He screamed and ran out of the room.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Shadow was just coming up the stairs from the basement when Nyoshi ran headfirst into him, and they both fell down the stairs.

"Nyoshi, what were you doing?" Shadow demanded after they hit the bottom of the staircase.

He kicked Nyoshi off of him and stood up. Nyoshi stood up too, then quickly told his tale.

"I was with Zelda and we got chased by a skeleton and so we ran away form it and we ran into the living room and I turned around to see if the skeleton was coming after us but it wasn't and I turned back around and Zelda was gone." Nyoshi somehow managed to say all of that in one breath.

Shadow, though, had one question. "What?"

"I turned around, just for a moment, and when I looked back, Zelda was gone." Nyoshi repeated.

"C'mon," Shadow said. "We'll find Sonic and the others and tell them what happened. They can help us look for Zelda. Stay on my tail." Then a thought occurred to him. "Speaking of tail, where did Tails go?"

Nyoshi gulped nervously. "I thought he was with you."

"Well, c'mon." Shadow repeated as he and Nyoshi started up the stairs. "We'll find him too."

**XXXXXX**

However, Sonic and the others were nowhere to be found. With a quivering Nyoshi staying close behind him, Shadow methodically searched the two upper floors of the house.

"One last place to check," Shadow told Nyoshi as they headed for the main floor. "And that's the basement."

The two of them descended the stairs into the basement. Shadow looked around suspiciously. Someone has come down here since I was here." He announced.

The sconces hanging on the walls were now lit, casting an eerie glow on everything.

"I don't see them in this main hall." Nyoshi said in a frightened voice.

Shadow had noticed something else. "I didn't see that door last time I was down here." He said. "C'mon Nyoshi."

With a still-quivering Nyoshi following him, Shadow walked across the main hall and went through the door.

**XXXXXX**

The inside of the room was also lit by sconces. It the torch-light, Shadow and Nyoshi could see a vampire standing in the middle of the room.

"Good evening." The vampire said, his curios accent adding color to his voice. "I am Count Byron. How can I help you, on this night of all monsters." He let out a low laugh.

Shadow stood his ground. "A red echidna, a human girl, a blue hedgehog, and a tan fox. I'm looking for them."

"Ah, yes." The vampire let out another low laugh, then called, "Show the hedgehog his friends."

The unseen ghost or spirit heeded the vampire.

The first body to hit the ground was Sonic's. He landed about three feet from Shadow. As his body came to a stop face up, Shadow could see a red stain on his neck.

The next body to hit the ground was Tails'. He, too, had a red stain on the side of his neck.

Though he was horror-struck inside, Shadow still stood his ground, though he couldn't tell who was throwing the bodies down, or from where. Behind him, Nyoshi was shaking outright.

The next body to hit the ground was Zelda's. She landed on her side, and, like Sonic and Tails, she had a bloodstain on her neck.

The last one to hit the ground was Knuckles. He, like the others, had a red stain on his neck.

There was a long moment of silence, then Nyoshi finally managed to say, "You…you…killed them…you drank their blood."

Count Byron nodded. "Yes, and they were delicious." He threw his head back and laughed.

Shadow stayed still for a moment, then something hardened in his mind. He had turned when he saw the first body, but now he swung around to face the vampire.

"You killed my friends." He said.

With that, he homing-attacked vampire, grabbed him by the neck, and swung him against the wall. "You killed them."

"Shadow," The vampire hissed. "Calm down."

Suddenly…"Trick or treat!!" Sonic suddenly rolled to his feet. "Happy Halloween, Shads. You've been tricked."

"Sonic?" Shadow dropped the vampire and stepped back in shock. Tails, Zelda, and Knuckles now stood up. "But… how?"

"It was easy." 'Count Byron' took off his mask, revealing himself to be Silver the Hedgehog. "While everyone was separated, we arranged for them to 'disappear.'"

The unseen 'ghost' who had thrown the 'bodies' down now floated down and landed. Pulling the sheet off, the 'ghost' was revealed to none other than Rouge the Bat.

"Then Sonic and the other put some fake blood on their necks to make it look like they'd been attacked by a vampire." Rouge continued the explanation. "There's a ledge up in the corner of the room," she pointed to the east corner of the room. "The ceilings down here are high, so it worked out great."

"We hid up there, and when you came in, Rouge just tossed us down one by one." Tails explained.

"Then before you came down here, we lit all the sconces, and Silver put on the vampire costume." Zelda added.

"Everyone was in on this?" Shadow asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Sonic said. Then he noticed Nyoshi, who had passed out on the floor from shock. "Well…everyone except Nyoshi. But I didn't know he was coming until you invited him."

"I don't know if I should be relieved you're all still alive, or strangle whole lot of you." Shadow growled, angry at being tricked.

Sonic shrugged. "That's what Rouge, Knuckles, and Zelda said. We do this to a different person every year. Maybe not this particular trick, but a trick anyway."

Nyoshi, who had now woken up, said, "Well, please don't ever do that to me."

Sonic shrugged. "Next year we're doing Amy."

"By the way, Silver," Zelda spoke up. "Nice job with the walking skeleton."

"Yeah, and the ghoul." Sonic added.

"Don't forget the werewolf." Knuckles spoke up.

Silver looked confused. "But I didn't use a skeleton, or a ghoul, or a werewolf. All I used were these green tentacles and skeleton hand gloves, plus the vampire costume."

Sonic, Zelda, Nyoshi, and Knuckles looked at each other.

"You know, let's just blow out the sconces and get out of here." Sonic finally said.

The group hastily blew out the sconces and left the house. As they headed back through the forest to the X-Tornado, one lone ghost named Mike laughed, then flew up towards the moon as a werewolf howled.

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**T.A.R.N.S.:** Nine pages on Microsoft Word. This has to be the longest short story I've ever written.

**Nyoshi:** T.A.R.N.S., isn't that redundant?

**T.A.R.N.S.: **Probably.

**Nyoshi:** Happy Halloween! Please Review!


	9. Give Thanks

**Give Thanks**

**Drabble # 9**

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**T.A.R.N.S.:** I actually think I taught myself some stuff while writing this story. Out of all the drabbles I've written so far, this is probably my second favorite, directly behind Haunted House.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the otter and the plot.

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Shadow walked down the sidewalk through Station Square on his way to Tails house; which was where everyone had decided to go to celebrate Thanksgiving. The only problem was that Shadow didn't feel much like celebrating.

"Maria is gone, and so is Professor Gerald…I'm celebrating with a bunch of idiots…then Tails came up with the 'brilliant' idea that we should all be able mention something we're thankful for." Shadow huffed. "What have I got to be thankful for?"

It had been Sonic's brilliant idea that everyone could get some non-perishable food items that they could drop off at the food bank, and the backpack Shadow was wearing was full of that food.

Shadow hadn't been paying attention to where he was going, and bumped into a Mobian otter a moment later. "Sorry." Shadow muttered as he surveyed the otter. The otter's shoes were scuffed, and his gloves were torn.

"That's okay." The otter replied as he surveyed Shadow. "You're not here for the job, are you?"

"No, I'm not." Shadow replied.

"Oh, good. I need a job, and I heard there was one in a store somewhere around here." The otter said.

Curiosity got the better of him, and Shadow asked, "Why are you looking for a job today? I thought everyone was celebrating Thanksgiving with their families."

"Well, my Mom and Dad died two weeks ago, and then the hut where I live with my brothers and sisters burned to the ground a few days later. We lost nearly everything." The otter explained, somewhat sadly. "I'm looking for a job so I can take care of my brothers and sisters, and they're trying to rebuild the hut."

Thinking about what he'd said earlier, Shadow didn't realize he'd muttered, "That doesn't sound like something to be thankful for."

But the otter heard him. "I'd be really thankful if I could get a job."

Thankful for a job. Shadow thought about it. The otter didn't seem any older than Shadow, and yet that otter was trying, on his own, to find a job. Shadow had a job, a place to live, and friends when he needed help.

Suddenly Shadow took of his backpack, and pulled out all the money he was carrying. Forty rings. It was small, but it would do. He took his Chaos Emerald out of the backpack and put the rings inside, then handed the backpack to the otter. "Here, take this. There's some food and money in there. Maybe it will help you."

The otter looked at the backpack he was holding. "I can't take this."

"Just take it. When you're done looking for a job today, take it home and having a Thanksgiving dinner with the rest of your family." Shadow told him.

"Thank you." The otter said fervently. "This will mean more to me and my siblings than you'll ever know. Thank you!"

Shadow kept on walking, but he couldn't help but smile.

**XXX**

When Shadow arrived at Tails' house a few minutes later, Sonic and Tails were the only ones there. Tails was making stuffing, and Sonic was setting the table. Shadow walked into the kitchen / dining room and watched them for a moment, then said, "Happy Thanksgiving."

Sonic actually stopped what he was doing. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Actually, I feel pretty good." Shadow replied.

Sonic looked at him suspiciously. "Are you sure you don't have a fever?"

"I just learned I have a lot to be grateful for." Shadow said.

Sonic smiled. "Good for you, Shads, good for you."

**Fin**

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**Nyoshi: **This is probably the first story T.A.R.N.S. has written that has a moral. Anyway...

**T.A.R.N.S.:** Please review! I would really like to know what you think of this.


	10. Merry Christmas!

**Merry Christmas!**

**Drabble # 10**

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**T.A.R.N.S.:** This is the fourth and last (planned) Christmas fic. Thanks to Caleb for his help with the story. Hit the disclaimer, Nyoshi.

**Nyoshi:** Disclaimer: We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! (P.S.: we don't own that song.)

**T.A.R.N.S.:** Good boy, Nyoshi. #throws him a Christmas cookie#

**Nyoshi:** Yeah cookie!

**T.A.R.N.S:** Okay, I own Nyoshi, the I.G.A.S., Cocoa Island, Matches, and Zelda. Now let's get this Christmas show on the road! # reaches for upload button#

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It started three days before Christmas at the I.G.A.S. office where Shadow worked. Everyone there was in the Christmas spirit. Nyoshi had even replaced his brown general hat with a Santa hat.

Well, everyone was in the Christmas spirit except for one black hedgehog.

Shadow stormed into the room.

"Merry Christmas, Shadow!" Nyoshi told the hedgehog as he walked in.

Shadow just glared at the Yoshi.

"AAHH! Don't kill me!" Nyoshi panicked and raced to a safer spot about thirty feet away.

Sonic and Tails, both of whom were also wearing Santa hats, entered the room a moment later.

"Merry Christmas, Shads." Sonic said. "We were in the neighborhood and thought we'd stop by.

Shadow finally snapped. "Stop calling me Shads! And I hate the holidays!"

Shadow stormed away.

"Gee, he seems upset." Tails said.

"I know what would cheer him up." Sonic said. "We'll decorate his house for him."

Nyoshi walked over to where they were standing. "I thought you were trying to cheer Shadow up, not get yourselves killed."

"Ah, you'll see." Sonic told him. "You gonna come with us?"

"No way. I don't have a death wish. I like life." Nyoshi ran away.

"He's just a scaredy-cat." Sonic said.

"Me too." Tails volunteered. "I think I'll go with him." He tried to run after Nyoshi, but Sonic caught him by a tail.

"You're coming with me." Sonic said.

"Alright, but if Shadow asks, I'm telling him it was your idea." Tails replied.

**XXXXXX**

A short time later they arrived at Shadow's house in the deep, deep, deep backwoods of Cocoa Island.

"We're not going to be able to get in, Sonic." Tails said as he pointed at the front deck. "Look, he's got a guard dog…er…dragon."

"That's just Matches." Sonic said. "I know how to get past him."

Sonic walked into the clearing, his feet crunching in the snow as he stepped onto the deck and walked over to the door, stopping just in front of it. He pulled a steak out of hammerspace and held it out to Matches.

"Here Matches. See the steak?"

Matches was instantly alert as he rolled to his haunches.

"Go get it." Sonic threw the steak as far as he could into the woods, and Matches raced after it.

Tails walked up to join Sonic, who was reading the welcome mat in front of the door.

"'Welcome to leave.'" He read. "Well, that sounds like something Shadow would have on his door mat."

"How are we gonna get in?" Sonic mused. Then he pulled out a screwdriver and started to fiddle with the door.

"Uh, Sonic, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Tails asked.

"Of course I do." Sonic scoffed. Just then the door fell in.

Sonic and Tails both sweatdropped. "Uh, I can fix that." Sonic said.

"Uh, Sonic, You didn't have to do that." Tails said as he held up a key. "I had key to the door."

"What? Why'd he giver you a key and not me?" Sonic asked.

"Well," Tails began.

_**Flashback**_

_Shadow was in his room, in bed, and sound asleep. Sonic quietly opened the door and stepped into the room. He was holding a gift and a small chocolate cake. _

_He quietly walked over to the bed. Shadow didn't hear him come in. Sonic took a deep breath, and then screamed. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHADOW!!"_

_Shadow jumped out of bed and hit the roof before falling back to the floor._

_Sonic grinned as Shadow sent him a look that would have made Knuckles turn tail and run._

_A moment later, Shadow appeared on the deck out side his house, and threw Sonic over the side of the deck._

"_It is 4 in the morning, and it is not my birthday!" Shadow shouted._

_**End Flashback **_

Sonic shrugged. "Well, that might have had something to do with it. Anyway, let's go."

The two of them entered the house, and came into the kitchen/dining room. "Okay, here's the deal." Sonic said. "On this floor is the room we're standing in, plus the library and the equivalent of a living room. We need to put a Christmas tree in each of these rooms, then we need to put garlands on the stair railings and Upstairs we'll leave alone except for the balcony railing which we'll do the same as the stairs. Then we have to put up Christmas light outside, wreaths on the windows and doors, and mistletoe over the doorway…"

Tails interrupted. "It's a good thing you can move at the speed of sound."

So they set to work.

Meanwhile, little did Sonic know that there was a hidden panel in the library, which opened to allow access to the basement.

Living out in the middle of nowhere, Shadow had to use a generator for electricity. While Sonic and Tails where hastily decorating Shadow's house, Shadow was fixing the generator.

"Stupid generator," Shadow muttered as he picked up his tools and started back up to the library. "Blow one fuse and the whole generator goes down."

Shadow dropped his tools on the table in the library and headed out to the kitchen/dining room, somehow missing the Christmas tree in the corner of the room.

However, Shadow did not miss the Christmas decoration when he walked into his kitchen/dining room. And when he saw them, his jaw dropped.

"Someone came into my house and decorated it…where was my stupid guard dragon?"

Meanwhile, Matches was out in the forest, licking the steak, and enjoying every savory bite of it, completely oblivious to the fact the Shadow was already planning to wring his scaly neck.

Muttering something not worth repeating under his breath, Shadow headed toward the door, and then noticed something. A sprig of mistletoe, hanging down in front of his door. Also hanging down were two long tail-like thing covered in tan fur and tipped with white fur.

"That's the most interesting mistletoe I've ever seen." Shadow said. "Tails, get down here."

Tails, who had been clinging to the ceiling after Sonic heard Shadow coming and told him to hide, dropped to the ground and grinned sheepishly at Shadow.

"Where is Sonic?" Shadow asked.

Tails pointed to the refrigerator.

Shadow walked over to the fridge and opened in, and Sonic fell out.

"Hey Shads!" Sonic grinned. "Merry Christmas."

"What exactly where you and Tails trying to do?" Shadow demanded.

"Well, you were so grim and depressed, and we thought maybe if we helped you decorate for Christmas you might cheer up." Sonic explained.

"Well, it didn't work." Shadow informed him. "Now, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!"

Sonic and Tails left the house and retreated to a few miles away, then stopped.

"Well, that didn't work." Tails said.

Sonic was tapping his chin. "No, no it didn't. But I have another idea."

Tails rolled his eyes heavenward. "Oh please, no."

"Don't worry; we're not going to sneak back into Shadow's house." Sonic assured him. "But I've got to go talk to everyone, and I've got to do some Christmas shopping." With that, Sonic sped away.

"Hey, wait for me!" Tails twirled his two tails and took of after Sonic.

**XXXXXX**

**(Three days later, Christmas Day)**

Tails was already in the kitchen making pancakes when Sonic came into the room. "We're going to Shadow's house later today." He announced.

"Maybe Shadow doesn't want to be cheered up." Tails suggested.

"Oh well, we're going anyways! We'll bring some gifts for everyone. Heck, I even got one for Shadow." Sonic replied.

"Do you think he'll like what you got him?" Tails asked him as he handed Sonic the plate of pancakes.

"I don't know, I guess we'll find out." Sonic replied. "I told everyone to meet us at Shadow's house, we're bringing the gifts, and everyone else is bringing the food."

And so, after breakfast they set off, Sonic on foot and Tails in the X-Tornado. Amy Rose, Knuckles, Rouge, Zelda and Nyoshi were all on their way.

Meanwhile, completely oblivious to what's about to come blasting through his door in few minutes, Shadow was sitting at his kitchen table, staring into his glass of orange juice. He was not drinking it. Usually orange juice is, well, orange, so this juice must have gone bad. That was why Shadow was not drinking it, but we won't go into that.

So, he decided to make some coffee. He put a new filter in the machine, then after a short debate poured all the grounds into the filter. But before he could finish, someone knocked on his door.

Shadow opened it to see Sonic and Tails standing there.

"Merry Christmas, Shadow." Sonic said, looking rather Santa-ish in his Santa hat with a bag of gifts over his shoulder. "You'll need this." He told Shadow as Tails handed the black hedgehog a Santa hat, complete with ear holes, just like the ones Sonic and Tails were wearing.

"What are you doing?" Shadow asked as the two Mobians pushed past him into the house.

"We're gonna celebrate Christmas at your house this year, Shads. Now put on your Santa hat." Sonic said as he set down the bag of gifts..

Just then, there came another knock at the door. Shadow went to open it, and saw Rouge standing there. Then they looked up and saw the mistletoe that Sonic had put up earlier.

Sonic and Tails both got big eyes for dramatic effect and went, "Oohh."

Meanwhile, Zelda was dragging Nyoshi through the woods towards Shadow's house. Since Zelda had him by the feet, Nyoshi was grabbing onto he could to try to stop himself.

"No, I don't wanna die!" Nyoshi said, not noticing that the small bush he'd latched onto had been pulled up three blocks back.

"You are not going to die." Zelda told him. "Shadow asked for you specifically."

"He specifically wants me to die?"

"NO!" Zelda replied. "He specifically wants you to come to his Christmas party."

"I know for a matter of fact that Shadow is not the one throwing this party." Nyoshi told her.

Zelda sweatdropped. "And how do you know that?"

"Sonic and Tails told me they were the ones throwing the party." Nyoshi replied.

Zelda gave him an exasperated look. "Do you know why you should go to this party, Nyoshi? Amy Rose is bringing cookies."

"Cookies?" Nyoshi stood up. "Yoshis love cookies."

"Then you're coming?" Zelda asked.

"Let's go!" Nyoshi grabbed Zelda as he raced by.

Back at Shadow's house, Sonic and Tails were grinning like Cheshire cats.

"Go ahead, Shads," Sonic told him as he and Tails turned around. "We won't peek."

Shadow turned back to Rouge. They both blushed, and then quickly kissed.

Sonic and Tails, who had turned back around the instant Shadow's back was turned, started grinning.

Shadow turned around, pounced on Sonic, and started throttling him. Fortunately for Sonic, there was a knock on the door, which Shadow answered (after taking the mistletoe down).

Amy Rose and Knuckles were standing there, their arms full of dishes.

"Hi Shadow." Amy said. "Sonic asked us to bring the Christmas dinner."

A moment later there was another knock on the door, and Nyoshi and Zelda came in.

"I brought the eggnog." Zelda said.

"And I was promised cookies if I came." Nyoshi added.

Sonic slapped his hands together. "The gang's all here." He said. "Now let's get this show underway."

And with that, Sonic brought out the gifts. There was a pink necklace for Amy, a gift card to Ship Builders 'R' Us for Tails, a jeweled pendant for Rouge, a fruitcake for Nyoshi ("Man, he's the easiest one to buy for."), a box of Life cereal for Knuckles (A gag gift, his real one was suntan lotion), a pen for Zelda ("A pen… I don't know whether to be impressed or insulted.")

"What about Sonic's gift?" Tails asked Knuckles.

"Oh yeah." Knuckles reached into hammerspace and pulled out a ring, which he handed to Sonic. "Go crazy."

"Sweet! I'll save this for later." Sonic tucked the ring away into his quills.

"And last, I've got the one we agreed on for Shadow." Sonic continued.

He nodded at Nyoshi, who pulled out a small box and handed it to Shadow.

"This is something to you from all of us." Tails told him.

Shadow carefully unwrapped the box and pulled out a ornament in the shape of a wreath. It was engraved:

_Merry Christmas Shadow!_

_From your friends Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy Rose, Rouge, Zelda, and Nyoshi._

_Christmas 20XX_

Shadow stared meaningfully at his ornament, touched by the simple gesture…until he got a snowball to the back of the head.

"HEY! Who brought snow into my house?" Shadow glared at the others as he set the ornament up.

Everyone looked at each other for a moment, then pointed at Sonic, who pointed at Tails.

"Hey," Tails complained.

"Snowball fight!" Sonic said. Everybody raced outside, dragging Shadow along with them.

Matches, who had finished eating his steak, watched the chaos for a while before he noticed that the front door was open a bit, and then he decided to go inside and eat the Christmas ham.

And that's how the gang celebrated Christmas this year.

**Fin**

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**T.A.R.N.S.:** Eight pages….so much for drabble.

**Caleb:** The whole ham? That greedy little pig.

**Nyoshi:** The whole ham? I was gonna eat that ham.

**T.A.R.N.S.:** #sweatdrops#

_Merry Christmas from Caleb, Nyoshi, and The All Real Numbers Symbol._


	11. My Coffee

**My Coffee**

**Drabble #11**

* * *

**T.A.R.N.S.:** A new drabble! This one may make sense if you read the other three coffee drabbles, though.

**Disclaimer:** See previous chapters.

* * *

It started out like any other average morning. Sonic walked into the kitchen and got out a mug, then poured himself a cup of coffee. He took a sip of the hot beverage, and promptly choked. 

He swallowed the sip he'd taken, and then turned to face Shadow, who was sipping from a mug of coffee.

Sonic eyed him suspiciously, and then asked, "You made this coffee, didn't you?"

"Yes." Shadow replied.

"Ugh, I can tell." Sonic stuck his tongue out in a gesture of disgust. "Pass the sugar…pass a _lot_ of sugar."

Shadow sniffed indignantly. "My coffee is perfectly fine. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"My coffee is much better." Sonic retorted.

"Mine is the better coffee." Shadow replied.

"Is not." Sonic said.

"Yes it is."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

In the meantime, Silver had woken up and wandered into the kitchen.

"Morning, Tails," He muttered to the two-tailed fox.

"Morning." Tails, who was sitting at the kitchen table and tinkering with a piece of machinery, replied.

Silver yawned, then walked over to the cupboard and took out a coffee cup. He picked up the pot of coffee and poured himself some.

Tails' head snapped up. Desperately, he tried to get Shadow and Sonic's attention.

"Guys, hey you guys, wait! Don't let Silver…" But it was too late.

Silver took a large gulp of the coffee. For a moment, nothing happened. Then he suddenly hit the roof, and went bouncing around the room.

Sonic and Shadow looked confused.

"Did we miss something?" Sonic asked.

Silver bounced over to him. "DoyouthinkDoctorEggmanwillattacktaody? Man, Ihopehedoes. We'llbereadyforhimifhedoes. I'mburstingwithenergyandthinkwe'llbeabletostophimandsavetheworldeasy. ManIlovethisdrink. Coffeecoffeeecoffeecoffeecoffee." With that, Silver bounced away, leaving Shadow and sonic staring after him.

(Translation: "Do you think Doctor Eggman will attack today? Man, I hope he does. We'll be ready for him if he does. I'm bursting with energy and think we'll be able to stop him and save the world easy. Man I love this drink. Coffee coffee coffee coffee coffee.)

"What's with him?" Shadow asked.

Tails sighed. "I was trying to get your attention and tell you. Coffee makes Silver hyper."

Needless to say, it was an interesting morning around Tails house that day.

* * *

**T.A.R.N.S:** Hey look, it's actually drabble length this time. I'm not to sure about this on, but I'll let you decide that. 

**Nyoshi:** So please review and tell us what you thought!


	12. The Zoah

**The Zoah**

**Summary:** (I should stay off Wikipedia.) Drabbleish. What if the Zoah had tried to invade while the Black Arms were on Earth?

**Disclaimer:** So I went to Wikipedia and looked at the Sonic Chrinicles game and saw these new aliens, and that got me thinking: What if...

* * *

It started one day during the Black Arms invasion. Sonic was out in Station Square fighting the evil aliens when a new space ship appeared in the sky.

Sonic sweatdropped. "Now what?"

The ship landed and another kind of aliens disembarked.

"We are the Zoah." One of them announced. "We here to take over this foolish world."

At this, an angry vein stood out on Sonic's forehead. "Yeah?" He asked. "Well, you see those black aliens over there?" Sonic pointed at the Black Arms who were running a rampage through the city. "They were here first. You'll just have to get in line."

"We are here to take over the Earth." One of them repeated.

Sonic was now starting to steam. "I'm busy fighting the Black Arms. You'll just have to get in line."

"We will destroy this planet." Another Zoah spoke up.

"Dude." One of the Black Arms said. "We were here first."

"This planet will fall by our hands." The Zoah soldier continued.

Sonic was now furious. He summoned the Chaos Emeralds out of nowhere and turned super. "I've had it with evil aliens trying to destroy the Earth! I just can't take it anymore!"

* * *

Back at Tail's workshop, Shadow was sitting at the fox's kitchen table, reading a book. Tails was also sitting at the table, tinkering with a bit of machinery.

The front door opened, and a beat-up looking Sonic dragged himself into the kitchen.

"Rough day?" Tails asked.

"You have no idea." Sonic muttered as grabbed a cup of coffee a la Shadow and started drinking it.

* * *

**T.A.R.N.S.:** So this is the crazy idea I had when I saw the new aliens. (On Wikipedia. Everyone likes Wikipedia. XD) Filed under drabbles for no particular reason... and in my mind the others use coffee a la Shadow when they really _really_ need caffine.

Anyway, should it stay? Should it go? Drop me a review and tell me what you think, please.


	13. Hereditary Matters

**Hereditary Matters**

**Drabble # 13**

* * *

**Summary:** Shadow sure hated mornings when he woke up and found out he was turning into his father...

**Disclaimer:** This line for rent.

* * *

The crisp, fresh morning air blew in through the open window. Shadow stifled a yawn as he sat up and swung his legs off the side of the bed. He reached for his shoes and slid them on, then stood up and headed downstairs to ferret out some breakfast.

When he got to the kitchen, Sonic and Tails were already sitting at the table; Tails was working on a piece of machinery, and Sonic was eating a bowl of oatmeal. Shadow set to work making a pot of coffee.

Sonic watched Shadow enter the kitchen, and immediately thought something was wrong. Shadow was about three inches taller than he'd been when he went to bed last night. Then the black hedgehog walked into the kitchen and began making coffee, and Sonic realized what was wrong.

"Umm…Shadow? Are you feeling okay?" Sonic asked.

Shadow gave him a suspicious look. "I'm fine. Why?"

"Well, I'm just saying…you know, yesterday you were using telekinesis, and the day before that it was telepathy."

"And I can't explain any of that." Shadow retorted. "But what does that have to do with today?"

"Well…" Sonic paused, as though he didn't want to finish his sentence.

Slightly irritated now, Shadow growled. "Just spit it out."

"It's just that you usually don't levitate unless you're in super form."

"I don't what?!" Shadow glanced down at his feet to find that sure enough, he was levitating up off the ground. "Why does this keep happening to me?"

"It's probably because of your Black Arms heritage. You just keep coming up with more of Black Doom's powers." Tails pointed out.

Shadow sighed. "Great." He muttered sarcastically.

"Don't worry, Shads. I'm sure there's only a very tiny chance that you'll grow a third eye."

"Thank you, Sonic." Shadow replied caustically. "That was very encouraging. It's bad enough I'm turning into Black Doom. You probably just jinxed me."

"Oh, sorry." Sonic said. He watched as Shadow floated out of the room and towards the stairs. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Back to bed."

* * *

**T.A.R.N.S.:** Hmmm...weird ending. It wasn't too bad though, I hope? I came up with this little idea and figured what the heck. I needed another drabble anyways. I'm not sure how good it is, so please review and tell me what you thought.


	14. Ave Maria

**Ave Maria**

**Drabble #14**

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Nope. Not owning.

* * *

"Is there anything new out there?"

Startled, Shadow turned around, and watched as Maria walked into the observation room on Space Colony Ark.

"No," The black hedgehog sighed. "I was just thinking."

"What were you thinking about?" Maria asked as she walked over to the window.

"My purpose in life."

Maria laughed.

Shadow gave her a confused look. "Why are you laughing?"

Maria regained her composure and replied. "It's just that… for a little hedgehog, you sure spend a lot of time thinking big thoughts."

"But I can't help it." Shadow protested. "What's my purpose in life? Do I even have one? And why am I here if I don't?"

"Everyone has a purpose, Shadow." Maria told him. "And you'll find yours, if not now, then someday."

Shadow looked back out the window, watching as the Blue and green planet below them continued its slow rotation.

"May I'll learn what it is when I go to Earth." He said. "That is, if the professor lets me go to Earth."

"I'm sure he wants to take you there someday." Maria said. "I've heard him talk about it before."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh."

Shadow was silent for a moment, then asked, "Will you come too?"

"I can't go back to Earth, at least, not right now." Maria replied. "But I'll go back someday!"

"Then I'll wait until you can come before I go." Shadow decided.

Maria giggled. "Thanks Shadow," She said as she slipped her hand into his. "You're a good friend."

* * *

**T.A.R.N.S:** Well...I suppose you're wondering where this came from. I was watching Sonic X episode 36 over on YouTube, and I watching the one part where Shadow remembers himself and Maria on the Ark, and he's wondering what his purpose is, and all that. That's where the idea came from. The story is set before G.U.N. invaded the Ark.

As for the title, I'm not Catholic, but I needed a good two-word title, and decided that Ave Maria would do. (MS Word tells me that it's also an archaic word for hello/goodbye.) Anyway, please review and tell me what you thought. I would appreciate it.


	15. Of Lycanthropy

**Of Lycanthropy**

* * *

**T.A.R.N.S.: **Well, I didn't think I was going to have any Halloween stories, but I was a listening to Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon, and then a thought occurred to me: Can't Sonic turn into a werewolf in that one new game?

That's how this story came about.

**Disclaimer:** That's probably one of the longest two-word titles I've ever had.

* * *

Sonic first realized something was up when he came into the Tails' kitchen and saw the two tailed fox talking to Shadow.

"Here, listen to it," Shadow extended one of his earbuds to Tails and adjusted something on his mp3.

Tails stuck the earbud in his ear and listened the song Shadow was playing.

For a moment, he was silent, then he said, "Hey, that's pretty good."

"Wait 'till it gets to the chorus." Shadow told him.

Tails grinned. "Hey, that's even better. Who does this song?"

"Warren Zevon does the version you're listening to." Shadow told him.

"Alright, what are you two up to?" Sonic asked as he walked towards them.

"Well, remember when Eggman drained your super form so he could unleash an evil monster to break up the continents of Earth?" Tails asked. "And how he corrupted the power of the Chaos Emeralds which gave you a case of lycanthropy?"

"Wait, he gave me what?"

"Lycanthropy means you can turn into a werewolf." Tails told him.

"Okay."

"Well, Shadow found the perfect theme song for you while you're in Werewolf form. The song is by Warren Zevon, and it's called Werewolves of London." Tails told him.

"WHAT!!" Sonic fairly screamed.

"You should hear the chorus." Tails said as he began to sing it. "Ah-oooooooo, werewolves of London. Ah-ooooooo."

"Tails!!" Sonic took a flying leap after the fox kit, who jumped out of the way and flew up to the top of the fridge. "When I get my hands on you, you're gonna be one sorry fox!"

"I don't know what your problem is, Sonic, it's a good song for you." Shadow said as he put both earbuds back into his ears.

"And you oughta be arrested for contributing to the delinquency of minor." Sonic told him.

"Don't feel bad, Sonic." Tails told him. "Tonight's Halloween, so you can just transform into a werewolf, and go as that."

"You little rat." Sonic jumped up and nearly grabbed him, but Tails flew away just in time.

"You two have fun now." Shadow said as he turned the volume up on his mp3. "Maybe we should write a different version of that song, one just for Sonic.

"Yeah, Werewolf of Green Hill Zone." Tails agreed.

"Tails!" Sonic shouted, and then turned to Shadow. "Don't go far." Sonic warned him. "I wanna see you when I'm done here."

"You can maul me later." Shadow said, as turned and walked away, singing the chorus under his breath.

"Ah-ooooo, werewolves of London. Ah-oooooo."

* * *

**T.A.R.N.S.:** Well, that was interesting, to say the least. So there you have it. Please review and tell me what you thought (and if the ending was decent or not), and have a Happy Halloween!


	16. Story's End

**Story's End**

* * *

**Summary: **Remember how Sonic wrote the story of Sonic and the Black Knight for Amy? Well, what if the rest of Sonic's freinds found out about that book?

**T.A.R.N.S.:** Yes, I'm back! I was going to make this a oneshot, but I need another drabble. Anyway, I was at my friend DG's house, and she's defeated Sonic and the Black Knight. She let me watch all the cutscenes (thanks DG!) and the ending of it gave me this idea.

**Disclaimer:** Beware Spoliers!

* * *

It seemed to Amy like a perfect day for a cookout. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the temperature was just right.

So her mind made up, Amy dispatched Sonic with invitations for a cookout later that day while she went to town to get some supplies.

Later that afternoon the group began arriving at Amy's house for the cookout. The first to arrive was Blaze, who showed up with Silver and a dish of raspberry cobbler.

"Thanks so much for coming, Blaze," Amy said as she stepped out of the way to let Blaze and Silver enter. "Wow, that cobbler looks great!"

"Thanks." Blaze said. "Where would you like me to put it?"

"You can just set it on the table." Amy said as she led the way inside.

In the kitchen, Sonic was making a pot of chili.

Silver bounded over to him. "What's this?" The silver hedgehog asked as he stuck his finger into the pot. "OW! That's hot!"

"Well yeah." Sonic replied as he stirred the chili. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to stick your finger into a pot boiling that was boiling on the stove?"

"No."

"Well." Sonic pointed the wooden spoon he was using at Silver. "Then I'll tell you. When you see something boiling on the stove, don't touch it, or put your finger in it, for that matter." With that, Sonic turned back to his chili.

A moment later, the doorbell rang again, and Amy went to answer it. It turned out to be Shadow, who was holding a bag of chips in one hand and a stack of books in the other.

"Here." He handed the chips to Amy. "My contribution."

"Thanks." Amy said as she took the chips. "Oh, are you done with the books?"

Shadow grunted, which Amy took for a yes. "Okay, well, just set them on the table in the living room. I'll put them back on the shelf later." She said as she stood back and let Shadow through the door. "You can take a few more if you want." She said as he walked in. "Oh, look, there's Knuckles and Tails right now."

While Amy greeted the others at the door, Shadow walked into the room and set the books down on the table.

He was browsing through the titles on the shelf when Blaze, Tails, and the others walked into the room.

"Still on that reading spree, eh?" Blaze asked him. Shadow didn't answer as he continued looking through the shelf. Then he saw a book he'd never seen before.

"What is this?" He asked as he pulled it out. "_Sonic and the Black Knight_?"

"What?" Tails asked.

"What is that?" Silver wanted to know.

Shadow flipped open the book as Tails, Knuckles, Silver, and Blaze peered over his shoulders.

"What in the world is this?" Blaze asked a moment later. "I'm a knight?"

Shadow snorted. "Speak for yourself." He retorted as he flipped back towards the beginning.

"What the? I'm a blacksmith!" Tails exclaimed.

"I'm not in it at all!" Silver pointed out, only to be glared at by everyone else. "Hey! I'm just sayin'. I mean look, even Amy's in it."

"Why are we on the wrong side?" Knuckles asked.

"And why are we all bowing to Sonic?!" Shadow demanded a moment later as he was still flipping through the book.

"Hey guys, the food's ready!" Amy said as she walked into the room a moment later.

"Amy, what is this book?" Shadow asked as he slammed it shut and showed the cover to the pink hedgehog.

"Oh, that?" Amy replied. "Sonic used it to get out of that date we were going on three weeks ago."

"Well who wrote it?" Blaze demanded.

"Sonic."

Everyone's eyes narrowed.

"Why do you look so mad?" Amy asked.

Sonic, in his infinite sense of bad timing, walked into the room a moment later. He was eating a chili dog. "Hey, are you guys gonna get some a' that food or what?" He asked.

Everyone except Amy glared at him.

Sonic looked confused. "Why do you all look so mad?"

"Care to explain this?" Shadow asked as he held up the book.

"Oh. Well, see, I was summoned by this wizardess, who wanted me to get the scabbard of Excalibur for her, but it so I went on these adventures to get the scabbard, but then she turned out to be evil…"

Shadow had been rapidly flipping through the book. "He's paraphrasing the book exactly."

Blaze rolled her eyes. "Of course he is, stupid! He wrote it."

"I'm not kidding!" Sonic insisted. "I actually happened."

"Sure." Shadow said. "Just like that thing with that Arabian Knights book. You sure go on a lot of adventures that take place in books."

"But it's true! That actually happened." Sonic insisted.

"Come on. Let's go eat." Knuckles said. Shadow threw the book down on the coffee table and followed the others out of the room.

"It happened! It really did happen." Sonic said.

"Yeah. Really."

"Come on! Don't you believe me Shadow? You like books."

"Yes, but the books I read don't involve you as the hero. Don't you get enough media coverage already?"

The book lay there on the table and Sonic followed Shadow to the kitchen, protesting all the way.

_Sonic and the Black Knight._

* * *

**T.A.R.N.S.:** Well, there you have it. Please review and tell me what you thought!


	17. Anno Domine

**Anno Domine**

**Drabble # 17**

**Disclaimer:** Everyone, Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, and have a Happy New Year!!

**Notes:** This drabble uses song lyrics as prompts. the lyrics are set off like this: ~song lyrics~. The song is Anno Domine by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Suggested songs to listen to while reading this drabble are all by TSO and include Anno Domine, Faith Noel, Wish Liszt (Toy Shop Maddness) and possibly Siberian Sleigh Ride.

* * *

_~ On this night of hope and salvation, one child lies embraced in a dream. __Where each man regardless of station, on this night can now be redeemed. ~_

Eleven p.m., on the 24th of December. The streets around Station Square were mostly deserted; everyone was home in their beds waiting for Christmas.

Everyone but for one black and red Mobian hedgehog, who stood near a streetlight, watching the snow make its gentle descent to the ground.

"Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse," Shadow muttered to him himself somewhat sarcastically. It sure seemed to ring true tonight. The whole town seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for Christmas to finally arrive.

Then suddenly there was a _whoosh!_ and a wave of snow and wind blew past the black hedgehog. Then the blur came back, this time a little slower.

"Woah. You get like, no traction on this snow." The other hedgehog remarked.

"Sonic. Why am I not surprised to see you here?" Shadow asked.

Sonic grinned at him. "Hi Shadow. I need your help for something." He swung one of two sacks off his back and handed it to the black hedgehog.

"What is this, Sonic?" The black hedgehog asked suspiciously.

"That's toys. I'm helping a charity this year, and these are toys for the kids that charity is helping. I thought it might be cool if they got a visit from 'Santa.'" Sonic said a she pulled a Santa hat out of his bag and put it on. "And I was hoping you would help, 'cause you're better than I am at Chaos Control, and teleportation will be a lot easier then breaking into all the houses to leave the gifts."

"You've gotta be kidding me Sonic."

"Not really. So, will you help me?"

"I don't think-"

"Oh come on, Shadow. What do you think Maria would have to say about your saying no?"

The black hedgehog jerked. "Don't you dare bring Maria into this!"

"Chill out, Shads. I'm just saying, what would she think? You know, she's probably watching you, right now."

Shadow stared at him. "Are you kidding me?"

"Nope. She's probably looking down from the clouds, watching you right now, like a guardian angel." Sonic swung the sack over his shoulder, holding in one hand the list of addresses to take the gifts to. Then he turned and started jogging away. "So, you coming or what?"

"You're full of crap, Sonic." Shadow called after him. But nevertheless, he swung the other sack over his should and followed Sonic away.

A few blocks away, Sonic came to a stop. "This is the first house," He said, looking at his list. "Susie Chandler lives her. I think her gifts are in your sack." He used his thumb to point at the living room window. The whole house was dark, but the living room was barely illuminated by a Christmas tree decorated with a strand of white lights and a few ornaments. "Think you can get us in?"

Shadow sniffed, then grabbed Sonic's arm and teleported them inside.

"Now, we have to be very, very quiet." Sonic whispered. "There might be calamity if we wake anyone up."

"No kidding Sonic." Shadow replied as he set his sack down and opened it. The first thing he saw was another Santa hat. "Sonic, what is this?"

"Oh, that's for you."

"You've got to be kidding."

"Just put it on."

Shadow snorted but put the hat on anyway.

"The two gifts on the top in there should be for Susie." Sonic instructed.

Shadow pulled out the first two wrapped packages and read the names on the labels. "These are hers," He confirmed, then set them under the tree.

"And here's one for her mother." Sonic said as he pulled an envelope out of his sack and set it in the branches of the trees. "Alright, let's get out of here and get to the next house."

Shadow teleported them out, and they headed for the next house, a few streets over.

"Kyle Hunter's house." Sonic said as he looked at his list. "This is our next stop." They dropped off the presents as quickly as they could, then hurried on to the other houses.

_~ On this night the past can fly away…Realizing that the past can be forgiven. ~_

At the fourteenth house, or it might have been the fifteenth, Shadow had lost track, they found milk and cookies set out, along with carrots.

"Did these children actually believe that Santa Claus was going to stop here?" Shadow asked Sonic.

"Sure. Personally I thought that it was a good idea when the director approached me about it." Sonic said as he grabbed a cookie.

"This is unbelievable."

"Why? We're doing good for a lot of people. Have a cookie, Shads."

"Fine. But I'm not drinking the milk. And what are we going to do with those?" He asked, pointing out the carrots.

"Carrots?" Sonic asked as he finished off the milk.

"For the reindeer, no doubt." Shadow said dryly.

"Oh, well, we'll do something with them." Sonic said as he grabbed the few carrots and shoved them into his sack. "Come on. We've got one more actually house to visit, then we've got gifts to drop off for Tails and the others."

"Are you kidding?"

"That's like the third time you've said that tonight. No. We're out delivering gifts; why not drop off stuff for Amy and Cream and the others?" Sonic asked.

Somewhere in the house, they heard a clock chiming. Shadow stopped and counted out the chimes. "It's midnight." He announced.

"Merry Christmas, Shadow." Sonic said. He was arranging the last few gifts under the Christmas tree. "Done. Now let's get out of here. Next stop, Amy's house. You can teleport us there directly."

Shadow, for what felt like the hundredth time that night, grabbed Sonic by the arm and teleported them away. Only a few seconds later they were standing in Amy's living room, next to the Christmas tree.

"Oh gees," Shadow muttered, irritated. "Two inches to the left and we'd have come out warp right in the middle of that stupid tree."

"That would have been awkward." Sonic replied as he pulled out the gift for Amy. "There's presents for Blaze and Silver in your bag." He told the other Mobian.

"Silver and Blaze?"

"Yep. They're staying through Christmas." Sonic told him. "Can you get those out?" He asked as he turned back to Amy's present. The tag on her gift said only "To Amy." The "from" part had not been filled in. "Hey Shadow, do you have a pen on you?"

"A pen?" Shadow repeated. He set down the gifts he'd been holding and dug around in his quills until he found the pen, which he handed to Sonic.

Sonic shuddered, and knowing he would live to regret this, signed his name in the 'from' part. He shoved his gift under the tree as Shadow added the ones for Blaze and Silver.

"Next stop, Angel Island."

An instant later, Shadow had teleported then to the temple on Angle Island that housed the Master Emerald. Neither of them were very surprised to see Knuckles sleeping propped up against it, partially covered with a blanket of snow.

"Do you think that Emerald keeps him warm?" Shadow asked.

"Who knows." Sonic pulled a large wrapped box out of his bag and set it down next to the sleeping Echidna. Then, as an after thought, he added the carrots.

"Come on. The Team Chaotix's offices next."

It only took them a moment to drop off the gifts for the Chaotix, then for Cream, Cheese, and Vanilla. Then they went on to Tails' workshop.

"Well, that's about the last of it." Sonic said as Shadow took the last gift from his bag; the one marked for Tails, and put it under the tree. He then took off his Santa hat and shoved it in the empty sack. "Are we done now?"

"Well, do you know where Dr. Eggman's base is?"

"Why do you want to go there?" Shadow asked.

"I bought him a gift."

"You _what?_"

"It's just a fruitcake." Sonic said as he held it up. It was indeed a store-bought fruitcake, with a bow on one corner.

"Unbelievable."

"Come on Shads, its Christmas."

"Fine." Shadow relented, then grabbed Sonic and teleported them away. It only took them a moment to drop of the gift, then Shadow Chaos Controlled one last time, planting them back under the streetlight where the night had first begun.

Despite the fact the snow was still drifting down, and nothing seemed to have changed, it felt different somehow. Maybe because now the night had turned and it was now Christmas.

"Thanks for all your help Shadow." Sonic said with a grin. "Don't forget, we're all meeting at Tails' workshop at two p.m. I left your gift at his house, so…"

Shadow sighed. "Sonic, why do you do all this stuff?"

"What? There's no law that says I can't be nice to my friends." Sonic said as he turned and started jogging away, picking up speed as he went. "See you later Shads. AH! Still no traction!!"

Shadow shook his head and leaned against the light pole. Now he would have to go shopping tomorrow, if anything was even still open. Snow still drifted around in puffy flakes. "Merry Christmas, everyone."

_~ All rejoice! Raise your voices, raise your voices! All rejoice! Anno Domine!! ~_

* * *

**T.A.R.N.S.:** My family had our own Christmas today, 'cuase we're usually away over the Christmas holiday, and one of the things that I recieved was a CD of The Lost Christmas Eve by the Trans-Siberain Orchestra. I didn't think I'd have any Christmas story for theis year, but as I listened to it a second time and read the story that went along with the lyrics, it created this picture in my head, so I decided to write it down and post it.

There are several acknowledgements that need to be made. First is thanks to my family for giving me the CD, then TSO deserves a shout-out for the song that inspired the story. And thanks always, to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who "loved me and gave Himself for me." After all, it's His birthday we celebrate at this time of year.

Like always, I'm never quite sure if the ending came off right, so I'll let you reviewers decide. Also, I'm sure some people might be thinking that Sonic mentioned Maria soley to get Shadow to help him, well, that's not the case. He was one hundred percent in earnest. Anyway, please review and tell me what you thought!!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, and have a Happy New Year!!


	18. In Circles

**In Circles**

**Drabble # 18**

* * *

**Summary:** Is time one unending loop, or an editable stream? Silver wonders about the strange dreams he's been having.

**Disclaimer:** Once again, I've had too much to think. Not, I did not mistype 'drink.' I meant to type the word think. This is the end result of me thinking – in this case, about Sonic '06.

**Dedication:** To every last one of my wonderful reviews. I realize there are stories in this collection that need OCs taken out and some editing done, but you could have knocked me over with anything when I realized I had 78 reviews for this story. Thanks so much you guys!

* * *

_The city was immersed in lava; gray clouds hung overhead with lightning flashing in them._

_Over it all, one silver-furred hedgehog flew silently over the ruins. Now they had the Chaos Emerald. Now they could finally stop Iblis…_

_But despite Silver the Hedgehog's best efforts, he could not seal away the monster._

_It had seemed so easy when he watched it happen to the little Princess Elise. But it would not work for him._

_Then Blaze took the Emeralds and tried to seal Iblis inside herself. And it worked._

_And it was a nightmare..._

_Silver jerked awake from his nightmare, looking around the room. But it was empty, and so was the rest of the broken down house. Blaze was gone, and even though the sky was blue and the ground was all covered in green, she wasn't coming back._

_Because Iblis had taken her…_

* * *

"Hey, wake up already!" Blaze's shout was accented with a resounding _thwack!_ on the back of Silver's head.

"Huh, what?" The silver hedgehog jerked awake to find himself sitting at a picnic table in a park that he recognized as being in Central City.

"Blaze?" He asked. "But aren't you dead?"

The was a long pause, and a furious look on Blaze's face. "What are you talking about? Do I look dead to you?"

"But you sacrificed yourself to seal away Iblis." Silver said.

"What are you talking about?" Blaze repeated.

"Well, there was this lava monster called the Flames of Disaster, and he destroyed the world and then we were fighting him and we met this hedgehog with no mouth named Mephiles who told us to go back in time so we could kill the Iblis trigger and save the world so we went back in time and found the Iblis trigger but he was Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends didn't want me to kill him but Mephiles killed him anyway so he could make this princess cry and when she cried Iblis got free and he merged with Mephiles and I had to team up with Sonic and Shadow and we fought and defeated him but you had to sacrifice yourself to seal Iblis away and then you were gone!"

Blaze had several questions for Silver, but she figured that the first one was the most important. "How did you manage to spit out that run-on sentence without ever stopping to take a breath?"

"Uh…" Silver considered it. "I don't know."

"Silver, are you on some kind of drug?" Blaze asked. "Because we certainly can't time travel and I've never heard of the Flames of Disaster."

Silver seemed to deflate a little. "But, it felt so real. I was sure it had happened."

"Well, it was just a dream, Silver. I've never heard of any of that stuff." Blaze told him. "And I'm still very much alive, thank you very much."

"I know. It's just weird. I think it really did happen," Silver told her.

Blaze thought about it. "Maybe it's a vision of the future." She suggested.

Silver shook his head. "Whatever it was, it was in the past."

"If it was in the past, then there's no point in worrying about it." Blaze told him. "Besides, it didn't happen anyway. Come on, if we don't get moving we're going to be late.

"Oh, okay."

Blaze started to head back down the path that led to the road, Silver keeping pace behind her and wondered what had become of his other self.

Maybe everything had all been a dream.

But it felt so real.

* * *

"_Come on, make it quick!" She yelled at him. "Use your Chaos Control to stop time and seal us into a different dimension!"_

"_No! I can't do that to you." He replied._

"_Didn't we already go through this?" Blaze asked, the flames of Iblis still swirling around her. "We agreed to save the world no matter what the price."_

_And Silver hated it, because he knew what she said was true. He moved to start Chaos Control, then stopped. "I can't! I don't know what I would do without you. You're my friend, right?"_

_She sighed. "You're still so naïve." Blaze turned to face him, her feet lifting off the ground. "But I've always liked that about you." It was sometimes better to have someone naïve; someone who could always keep looking up, without cynicism weighing him down._

_And with both Emeralds in her hands, she didn't need his Chaos Control. Her body started to glow and she lifted off the ground, dropping the Emeralds as she started to fade away._

"_Good luck, Silver," She told him. And in a flash of light, the clouds disappeared and sunlight shone in for the first time since Iblis was released._

_But Blaze was gone._

* * *

**T.A.R.N.S.:** In this story, I wanted to explore the time paradox that was created when Elise blew out the flame. Everything was reset, but I just had to wonder, did everyone forget? I mean, the Chaos Emeralds are powerful gems. Who's to say they don't remember everything that happened, including the time paradox? And if they do, then couldn't the people who tap into their power (i.e, Shadow, Sonic, Silver,) remember the time paradox?

That's why Silver has the weird dreams, that he thinks are real, but he can't explain why they should be real. Wow, that came out weird. The ending scene is quoted, more or less, from that final scene in Sonic '06. I don't know much about the title, other than that I was thinking about time maybe being an unending loop, and that reminded me of Switchfoot's song "Circles."

Maybe this has been done a bunch of times, or maybe it hasn't. Either way, please review and tell me what you thought about it. Feedback is appreciated!


	19. Color Blind

**Color Blind**

**Drabble #19**

* * *

**Summary:** As Shadow was pounced on by Amy, as she mistook him for Sonic for twentieth time, Shadow could only come up with one conclusion: she really needed her eyes checked.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned _Sonic X_ I wouldn't be hunting for a job in this crappy economy.

**T.A.R.N.S.:** I was watching Sonic X today, that one where they're one Prison Island and Amy sees Shadow and thinks he's Sonic, and I was thinking, how can you mistake Shadow for Sonic? Even if they do look somewhat similar in profile, that doesn't explain why no one can tell the difference between the colors blue and black.

So here we go, again. Enjoy!

* * *

"Sonic!" Amy squealed with excitement as she spotted her hero walking out of building in uptown Station Square. "I'm so glad to see you!" She shrieked as she ran over and hugged him. "Since you're here, do you want to come with to Cream's house?"

"Um, Amy."

"Has your voice gotten deeper?" She asked, then opened her eyes and glanced at him. Amy shrieked again and jumped back "You're not Sonic!" She exclaimed as she pointed at the imposter.

"Very good." Shadow said dryly as he straightened out the edge of his now slightly damaged book. "It only took you two words and ten seconds to figure it out this time. You're getting better."

"But I thought you were Sonic!"

"I figured as much when you jumped on me. But tell me, have you ever seen Sonic come out of a bookstore before?" The black hedgehog asked as he pointed over his shoulder at the building behind him.

"He might have." Amy said firmly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go visit Cream."

She flounced away, and Shadow sighed in exasperation and wished Sonic would come out from where ever he was hiding. This was only the eighteenth time this month that Amy had jumped on him.

* * *

Starbucks' coffee was not as good as his own brew, that was certain. It wasn't strong enough, but it was a long was from his house and his coffeepot, or Tails' house and Tails' coffeepot, so Shadow sipped his Starbucks coffee and tried to appreciate it. As soon as he was done with this G.U.N. assignment he could go back home and get a decent cup of coffee.

He headed down the road, studying the half-sheet of paper that some mission information on it as he walked, when suddenly he heard a very familiar voice.

"Sonic!"

"Oh, crap." Shadow glanced around for a place to set his coffee down, but couldn't find one before Amy jumped onto him and knocked them both to the ground.

And spilling Shadow's rather hot coffee all over his face.

"Sonic I'm so glad to see you!" Amy squealed, then realized that Sonic was not saying anything or trying to get away. She opened her eyes and jumped off the other hedgehog a moment later when she realized who she had pounced on.

"Shadow?"

Shadow opened one red eye and glared up at her. "Yes, that is my name."

Amy put her hands on her hips. "Why are you on the sidewalk?"

"Well there are two reasons I can think of." Shadow said as he slowly got back up. "The first is that you pounced on me and knocked me to the ground. The second is that when you jumped on me, you spilled a cup of 140 degree coffee all over my face."

"Oh." Amy said contemplatively, then turned and scurried off, calling back as she did, "Sorry."

Shadow looked at his now empty cup of coffee and wondered if it would be worth suing over. Then he dismissed that thought. No one would take his case, and he didn't want to admit to what happened.

Besides, he despised lawyers.

* * *

In hindsight, he realized later that he should have seen this one coming. It was a few days after his trip to Westopolis, and he had spent a couple of days crashed at Tails' house, which was also a known hang out for Sonic.

And the blue hedgehog had been there before Shadow himself had even arrived. However he had pulled out at about the same time Shadow did, taking off zipping thorough the woods, tearing up trees and shrubs behind him. Shadow had paid it no mind, preferring his quiet walk.

Which ceased to be quiet about ten minutes after Sonic zipped through.

"SONIC!" A familiar voice shrieked.

"Oh no," Shadow quickly turned to face the voice. "Amy! Wait! I'm not-" He got cut off as Amy pounced on him.

Again.

"Oh sonic so I'm so happy you waited for me." Amy gushed. "I have a great idea! Let's go to the park, just the two of us."

"Get off me!" Shadow exclaimed, shoving the pink hegehog off and standing up. "What is the matter with you?"

"Shadow? What are you doing here?" Amy asked as she got back on her feet.

"I was leaving Tails' house when you jumped me... again!'

"Well it isn't my fault that you and Sonic look so much alike." Amy said as she crossed her arms and turned away from him.

At that statement, Shadow nearly lost it. "So much alike? I'll grant you that maybe we do look alike, in profile, but I would think that most people could tell the difference between the colors bright blue and black! what are you, color blind?"

He was forced to jump out of the way a moment later as Amy smashed the spot where he'd been standing with her mallet.

"How rude!" Amy shouted. "I can see colors perfectly, thank you!"

From the tree branch where he'd landed, Shadow glared back down at her and delivered the last word. "Then maybe you need glasses!" And to make sure it stayed the last word, he teleported away.

* * *

**T.A.R.N.S.: **Poor Shadow, so fed up with Amy always jumping on him. ^^ But you really, you do have to wonder how come she can't tell the difference between Sonic and Shadow. Come to think of it, she's jumped on Silver thinking he was Sonic before, so maybe she really does need glasses. Hm. Also, no offense intended to lawyers. I know you're not all in the job just to take stupid lawsuits.

Anyway, please review! Thank you!


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